​“When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees……”The Context of today’s Reading. Jesus is in a question and answer fight with both the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Firstly, the Sadducees. Jesus is the first Rabbi in the history of the world to find proof from the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) of the Resurrection and eternal life. The Sadducees did not believe in this (And that is sad you see !!!!!). He quotes the words of Yahweh that He is the God of Abraham……the God of the living, not of the dead. This argument silenced the Sadducees. Now the Pharisees are awaiting their chance.Their challenge is to ask about the greatest commandment. The signature of any Rabbi’s teaching is which Commandment (of over 600) is the greatest. There were so many opinions that they considered Jesus to be in an impossible situation. How can you say one commandment is more important than another?Jesus’ answer is brilliant. He quotes the prayer that they all say (even to this day) many times every day. The prayer from Deuteronomy 6: “Listen Israel: Yahweh our God is the one Yahweh. You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart………” This prayer is said at their going down and their rising….fastened on their hands and their foreheads and doorposts of their houses and their gates.And the second is like the first. (Leviticus 19:18) On these two commandments hangs the whole Law and the prophets, The Law is the Torah, the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible and the Prophets is the section of our Scripture from Isaiah to Malachi.Jesus uses the Scripture to answer the questions of both the Sadducees and the Pharisees. His answer is LOVE. Love God and love one another.

​In today’s gospel (Matt 22:34-40) the Pharisees are described as “testing” Jesus about his knowledge of Torah. Surely they must be trying to test or trap him into something by doing this.

Well, maybe the greatest Jewish rabbi of the second millennium was Rabbi Maimonides, who died near the end of the 12th century. Among other things, he is noted for recording an orderly list of 613 commandments found in Torah (first five books of the bible). These ‘commands’ range from the ‘miscellaneous’ kind (e.g., no body tattoos, no cross-dressing, etc) to the ‘sublime’ (e.g., to believe in the One Eternal God and hallow His Name).

Centuries earlier, in Jesus’ day, disputes among Pharisees about these various ‘commands’ were endless, especially when the subject was “ranking” the commands according to their supposed importance. The “rank” determined the greater or lesser severity of punishment when such a law was broken. It is into this dispute that the scribes tried to draw Jesus. Of course, they are trying to “test” or “trap” him by asking him to pick the “greatest command,” because if he chooses one law, they can accuse him of showing disrespect for all the other divine laws.

Jesus does not give in to their “trap” to debate these issues. He sees clearly that the Pharisees – supposedly experts in the law – are focusing too much on specific problems and need to have the applicable point explained to them (or, as we say today, they couldn’t see the forest for the trees). So Jesus ‘cuts to the chase’ and goes directly to the two core principles which underpin all 613 ‘commandments.’ These are: (1) love God with your whole being; and (2) love your neighbour with your whole being. Everything is based on this foundation, even the law itself.

Jesus tells them that all the Law and the Prophets must be interpreted in the light of the command to love God and neighbour. The divine commands make explicit the response we are required to give to God. The only way to remain in God’s love is to keep his commandments.

Also see articles #2055; #2083 and #1824 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

We have already met the teaching of Jesus about service. Only five weeks ago we came across the Gospel in Mark teaching us “if anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me”. We remember Peter being rebuked as Satan.

There is no rebuke today for the sons of Zebedee. Jesus ignores the ambition and uses it to teach service in the kingdom. He uses Old Testament phrases for trial and suffering like ‘cup’ and ‘baptism’. “Do you know what you are asking?” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup that I must drink or be baptised with the baptism with which I must be baptised?”

James and John are challenged by Jesus to martyrdom. I wonder did they realise this! The first reading connects this passage with the suffering Servant of Isaiah. To sit at the right hand in glory is not available. To drink the cup and to be baptised with the baptism that Jesus must receive is available. By the time Mark is writing his Gospel many persecutions have taken place!

Jesus repeats his message. Jesus calls them all together. This is similar to recent weeks when Jesus goes back into the house and teaches the apostles. Mark says Jesus called them to him. This is a special teaching to the twelve. Jesus calls them to him. He spells it out. “This is not to happen to you. Anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant and anyone who wants to be first must be slave to all”.

The final verse is an echo of the first reading. ”For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”​Many times in the Gospel Jesus asks the question, “What do you want me to do for you?” James and John did not get the answer they expected.

The lust for power.“After leaving the mountain….” The text refers to the Transfiguration. This story is omitted in the Lectionary at this time. It appears every year in Lent. Also the lectionary omits the cure of the epileptic whom the apostles were unable to cure. Jesus and his team are journeying through Galilee. He does this in secret, “he did not want anyone to know.” He teaches for the third time that “the Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men: they will put him to death; and three days after he has been put to death, he will rise again.” Again they don’t understand. They are afraid to ask him!Capernaum. This is the centre for the Galilean ministry of Jesus. It seems it was the house of Peter by the lake. They are inside the house when Jesus asks them what they were talking about on the road. “They said nothing because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.” I often wonder if their answer was the word “nothing” as a child would answer, or were they really silent.Jesus gives them a lesson on service. “If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all.” Jesus puts his arms around a little child and said to them, anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me, welcomes not me but the one who sent me.,”This is the lesson on greatness in the kingdom. Remember the mother of James and John asking questions about positions of greatness. Remember Jesus washing Peter’s feet. It is a hard lesson. It is easy to overlook it. The kingdom is about humiliation and suffering. It is not a glory trip. It is about service to others. It is very serious teaching.

About Our Lady of the Rosary

Since its inception in 1947 the parish has grown and today boasts one of the most beautiful and prayerful Churches in our Diocese. Substantially designed by Fr Reg Reynolds, the parish church caters for the permanent Catholic population as well as the many visitors who holiday here.